by Hyougetsu
“They threatened to shoot me.”
I’d gone in person to ask them to surrender. But when Earl Ryaag saw me, he’d gone pale and started shouting threats. I hadn’t been able to negotiate at all. Kite, who’d come with me, took out his notepad with a sigh.
“Can’t say I’m surprised, though. At this point, even if he returned to Prince Ashley’s camp he’d still be punished.”
“Yeah. Even if he surrendered now, he’d definitely have his lands confiscated. Hell, he’ll be lucky to escape execution. I knew he wouldn’t surrender.”
Fahn cocked her head.
“Then why’d you go to ask him to surrender?”
She handed me a mug of wine. Right now, we were camped out in a nearby mountain. We couldn’t light a fire or we’d be spotted, so the only way to warm ourselves up was with alcohol. I took a sip of wine and smiled at Fahn.
“To make breaching the castle easier. Kite, you memorized the layout of the front gates, right?”
“Ah, yeah. They have a drawbridge and two iron portcullises. The biggest obstacle will be the two watchtowers flanking the gates. I saw a lot of archers stationed in each.”
Kite showed me the rough sketch of the main gates that he’d drawn in his notebook. Though we’d barely had a chance to glance at it before we’d been brought into the castle, he’d noted almost every detail.
“I can’t believe you managed to get all of that.”
“Most castles are built the same way. A bit of epoch magic and some guesswork is enough to get a general idea of the layout.”
I kept forgetting this, but he had been one of the Senate’s elite mages. I took the notebook from Kite and handed it to Jerrick.
“Our goal is to bring down this gate and leave the castle defenseless. I want you to find a way to blow the thing apart. Hamaam’s squad will guard you while you do it.”
Jerrick took one look at the sketch, then grinned.
“You got it, boss. A crappy gate like this wouldn’t even stand up against a battering ram. And we can make sure the drawbridge stays down by cutting the chains. I’ve got all the tools I need for this.”
According to Jerrick, all the castles in Rolmund were built to defend only against humans, and they hadn’t accounted for demons or monsters. It made sense, since it had been centuries since Rolmund had last seen a monster or demon. Still, that didn’t change the fact that specializing in human warfare made them susceptible to werewolf tactics. Alright Ryaag, you didn’t surrender when I asked nicely, so I hope you’re ready for an ass-kicking.
Once the sun set, I gathered my werewolf squad together.
“Jerrick and Hamaam, your squads are in charge of destroying the castle gates. The rest of you, take out any lookouts. If you can’t keep the alarm from being sounded, start going on a rampage to draw attention.”
A shiver of anticipation ran through the werewolves. I decided to get all the important details out of the way before they got too amped up to listen.
“We’ll use the dog whistles to keep in contact, but if stealth fails and you guys need to fight, you can start using howls. There won’t be any need to hold back then.”
“You’re sure? We can kill everyone?”
Monza gave me a pleading look. She really enjoyed killing way too much. But for once, I nodded.
“We’re mounting an assault in unfamiliar territory using tactics we’re not used to. We can’t afford to hold back. If we’re not careful, we’ll be the ones to die instead.”
I didn’t have the time to pick a more efficient strategy. Ryaag had refused to surrender, and now he would have to face the consequences.
“If anyone in your squad gets injured, call me immediately. I don’t want anyone dying here. Now let’s move out!”
“Roger!”
All of us transformed and bounded across the snowy plain. Sveniki Castle had been built on the plains as a matter of convenience, so it wasn’t a very defensible castle. Once we were close to the castle, we detoured into a nearby forest and met up with the advance party, which consisted of Lacy and her guards. When she saw us she nodded to me. It seemed things had gone well on her end. I turned to my werewolves and said, “Lacy’s cast her illusion all the way from this tree to those boulders. As long as we’re inside it, the soldiers won’t be able to see us. Make sure you stay in single-file, or you’ll end up wandering outside the spell’s range.”
Lacy’s illusion was only about five meters wide, but it would let us approach the castle without being spotted. Sweat beaded on Lacy’s forehead as she struggled to keep her magic going.
“I wanted to make it wider, but creating an illusion that hides anything inside it from all angles is harder than it seems...”
“No normal illusion mage could pull something like that off. You’re definitely worthy of calling yourself a disciple of the Great Sage Gomoviroa.”
“Ehehe.”
Once we made it to the castle, the rest would be easy. Both the moat and the castle’s walls weren’t designed to stop werewolves. The moat was narrow enough that we could leap across it and the walls were uneven enough that we could easily climb them. Rolmund’s oldest castles had been designed to prevent monster and demon raids as well, but Sveniki Castle was full of openings.
We split into our respective squads and began our assault. As soon as we destroyed the gates, I was planning on having the 7,000 men Prince Ashley had lent me storm the castle. Sveniki Castle had barely 2,000 troops stationed inside it, so once the gates were gone Ryaag didn’t stand a chance. While Jerrick was hard at work sabotaging the gates, I went to complete my own mission. When I’d met with Ryaag earlier in the afternoon, I’d memorized his scent. The scent led me to the window of his study. I canceled my transformation and fixed up my clothes. I then snuck in through the window and stared at the earl. He was a plump, middle-aged man, and was currently dozing by the hearth.
“Good evening, Earl Ryaag.”
“I recognize that voice!”
Ryaag woke up instantly and whirled around. I gave him a sarcastic bow.
“I have come here this evening not as a messenger, but as your enemy. Please surrender. This is your final warning. If you refuse, I shall slay you in single combat.”
Seeing my lack of armor, Ryaag hurriedly grabbed the rapier hanging on his wall.
“How did you get in here!?”
“From the window.”
“This is the third floor!”
Yeah, I can jump that high. As Ryaag fell into a stance I said, “So, you refuse to surrender. Are you prepared to fight then?”
“Of course! Don’t think I’ll let you leave here alive, you dueling maniac!”
“You must be joking.”
With that, I transformed. Ryaag’s eyes nearly popped out of his skull as he saw my werewolf form.
“What!?”
I leapt forward and closed the gap between me and the earl in an instant. I thrust my claws into his throat, and he died before he even had a chance to scream.
“I told you I would take your life if you refused to surrender.”
It was bad luck that he’d ended up having to fight a werewolf, but honestly it was probably better that he had been slain in combat rather than executed as a traitor. I hope you don’t resent me for this.
“Lord Ryaag, what’s the matter!?”
“I heard you shout— Waaaaah!?”
“It’s a monster!”
I slew the guards that came running in when they heard the commotion. I couldn’t let anyone who’d seen my true form live. It seemed the other werewolves had gotten started as well, since I could smell blood wafting through the castle. I hope everyone’s okay. Just then, I heard Jerrick’s howl from near the gates.
“Prey down.”
Guess he got the gates too. Perfect timing. Now that the castle was defenseless, there was no point in remaining here. I’d already taken out the castle’s lord, so the garrison’s chain of command was in disarray. They wouldn’t be able to figh
t back. I lifted my head and howled the retreat signal.
“Hunt complete.”
My squads all howled their acknowledgment of the order. It seemed no one had been hurt. I rendezvoused with Fahn’s squad, who were my guards for this mission, and loped away from Sveniki Castle.
“Bro, how many did you take out?”
“I got eight. How about you?”
“Hah, I got twelve! I finally beat you, bro!”
Splattered in blood, my werewolves gloated about their accomplishments. Naturally, the Garney brothers were the most excited of the lot.
“Hey, Vodd, how many did you get?”
The old white werewolf turned to the Garney brothers with a smile and said, “Dunno... I stopped bothering to count after forty.”
“Forty!?”
Vodd and the other older werewolves guffawed at the shock on the Garney Brothers’ faces. There was more to hunting than physical strength. Us youngsters couldn’t hold a candle to the old veterans. Still, I was amazed old man Vodd managed to take out 40 in that short a time.
Naturally, our own casualties were zero. Ambushing humans in enclosed spaces was our specialty after all. That being said, a few of my werewolves had been injured in the fighting, so I healed them all on the way back.
“Man, that was fun!”
“Yeah, I wish we could let loose like this all the time!”
As my werewolves revelled in the aftermath of the hunt, Rolmund’s Imperial Guards started marching on the castle. They had perfect timing.
Once we returned to our campsite, I changed into fresh clothes and got onto a horse. From here on out I was back to acting like a human. It didn’t really matter who was in command of the Imperial Guards, since our victory was all but guaranteed. However, I needed to take charge so I could hide all evidence that werewolves had attacked the castle before Prince Ashley’s men went in.
“I’ll go take charge of the human troops. You guys stay here and rest. Kite, Lacy, oh and you too Parker. Sorry, but I need you to come with me.”
“You got it, Veight.”
“I-I’ll do my best!”
“Why is it that I’m being treated as an afterthought!?”
I took my mages with me to meet the army of Imperial Guards.
* * * *
—Prince Woroy’s Fears—
“Did you say Sveniki Castle has fallen?”
I listened in disbelief to my scout’s report. I’m camped out in front of one of the castles Ashley’s army’s holed up in. My plan was to conquer this castle then stop at Sveniki Castle for a rest. Knowing there’s no respite even after this battle is going to hit my men’s morale hard.
“Your Highness, what should we do?”
“If we can’t resupply at Sveniki Castle, our food stores will run out in another few days.”
The lords under my command all looked shaken. This might be bad. Earl Ryaag, the lord of Sveniki Castle, had always been a supporter of the Doneiks. Dad made him join Ashley’s faction as a spy ages ago in case he needed an insider. Only Ivan and I knew that, though. Fortunately, his loyalty had remained with us, and Ryaag had defected to our side right after we crushed Ashley’s army in the field, though it seemed his betrayal had just ended with him getting defeated. Oh well, it is what it is. If everything went as planned in war, we wouldn’t need generals.
“So who conquered the castle?”
“Lord Veight. He infiltrated the castle with his personal troops and destroyed the front gates.”
I should have known it was you. You don’t do things by halves, do you?
“What happened to Earl Ryaag?”
“He was slain by Veight.”
Bastard, my dad spent a whole decade setting these plots up and you’re overturning them all in a day? This is why I’d kept telling Ivan he needed to win Lord Veight over as an ally before going to war. Well, it was too late to change that now.
“Hey, how long until our supply wagons get here?”
“They’re coming as fast as they can, but they’re still a few days out.”
I’d had my army march ahead of the supply wagons to take advantage of our momentum, so my soldiers were only carrying a small number of rations with them. It’d be nice if our supplies arrived on schedule, but if they got delayed, my troops would be fighting on empty stomachs. I could start requisitioning food from nearby villages, but supplies were tight during the winter. If I starved the citizens to feed my army, Dad’s soul wouldn’t be able to rest in peace.
“Prepare for the worst outcome so you can obtain the best one.”
That had been one of my father’s favorite sayings. Rushing my army forward had been a mistake. A mistake I needed to rectify right now.
“Cancel the attack on the fortress and sound the retreat! We’re going back to Creech Castle!”
“Your Highness, are you sure that’s wise!?”
My lords seemed shaken by the decision, but I nodded firmly.
“Even if we take this fortress, there’s nothing but enemies ahead of us. Our supplies aren’t here, and we have nowhere we can barricade ourselves to let our troops rest. It’s not even large enough to hold everyone.”
“You have a point, but if we retreat we’ll be going against Prince Ivan’s orders!” One of my nobles argued back. To the lords of North Rolmund, the orders of the Doneiks family were absolute. But I was a member of the Doneiks family as well.
“We’ve hit an unexpected roadblock. If we try to continue with our previous plan, we’ll end up defeated for sure. Don’t worry, I’ll explain things to my brother.”
I reassured my nobles and clapped my hands together.
“Now get on with the retreat! Speed is the most vital thing in war. If we take too long we’ll be in trouble! Make sure the enemy doesn’t realize what we’re up to, though, or they’ll hound us during our retreat!”
My generals started scurrying to and fro, while a few of the nobles not in command positions walked up to me.
“Your Highness, what if we asked Prince Ivan for reinforcements?”
“If Meraldia’s joined Ashley, then this war could get dragged out for a long time. We’ll need those men later. Besides, Lord Veight is Princess Eleora’s vice-commander. We should assume she has joined Prince Ashley’s cause as well.”
I’d purposely avoided mentioning that, but it seemed my nobles were worrying about that possibility anyway. This is definitely not good. To be honest, I was afraid Eleora had joined Ashley as well, but there was no way to know for sure right now. And really, that was the scariest thing about Lord Veight. You could never tell what he was up to. At first, everyone had just assumed he was some minor diplomat from a conquered nation. But not only was he making a mockery of Rolmund’s nobles and doing as he pleased, Eleora wasn’t even bothering to rein him in. And now he’d put Ashley in his debt too.
Judging by how much freedom Eleora had given him, he’d definitely made some kind of deal with her. I had no idea what deal exactly, and honestly, I’d prefer to keep Lord Veight’s closeness with the members of Rolmund’s royalty a secret from the lower-ranking nobles. Still, it was my job to reassure these guys and keep their morale up.
“Don’t worry. Lord Veight only has a few dozen men with him. And he can’t request any reinforcements from Meraldia until spring at the earliest. We just need to end this war quickly and then negotiate peace with Meraldia.”
Though it was getting harder and harder to bring a swift conclusion to this conflict. Curse you, Lord Veight.
“We can leave the diplomacy to my brother. Our job is to make sure we win every battle we fight. Crushing Ashley’s army is the minimum condition we need to meet if we want to win this war. And that’s something we can definitely do!”
“Y-Yes, sir!”
“We’ll do our best, Your Highness!”
My nobles were finally regaining their morale. Good grief. Though even if I could keep their morale up, we might still need reinforcements. Eleora was a skilled general, and h
er uncle Lord Kastoniev had a lot of influence. He’d be able to raise a lot of troops for her.
“They’ll probably have around ten...no, fifteen thousand men.”
“Is something the matter, Prince Woroy?”
“Nah, I’m just talking to myself.”
I couldn’t let my men find out they suddenly had 15,000 more enemies to fight. At least not yet. Guess I have no other choice. It’ll make things harder for Ivan, but I think I need him to conscript more troops for me. I’ll need more food, too. I called over the army’s scribe.
“I need you to write a letter to my brother asking for reinforcements. It’s fine if they’re just infantry, but I need another twenty thousand men.”
“Yes, sir!”
I stepped out of my tent and looked southward. You win this time, Astral Fencer. I’ll retreat for now. But next time I’ll bring you down. Just you wait.
* * * *
The unstoppable march of Prince Woroy’s army came to a stop the day after I retook Sveniki Castle. Prince Woroy took his army back to Creech Castle, where he fortified his men. I wasn’t sure why retaking Sveniki Castle convinced him to retreat, but it had. His retreat had been so swift that the troops guarding the castle he’d been sieging hadn’t even had time to react. One of the men who’d been fighting there came here to give his report.
“The arrows suddenly stopped, and by the time we thought to look out the window, they were already gone.”
What are they, ghosts? The detachments Prince Woroy had sent out to siege other castles had all retreated as well. They’d completely pulled back their battle lines. As I was pondering why they’d do that, Prince Ashley turned to me and said, “Thank you so very much, Lord Veight. Because of you, we were able to weather Woroy’s assault.”
“Don’t mention it. I just did what little I could.”
Prince Ashley smiled ruefully.
“If conquering a castle with such a small force is a ‘little’ achievement then you are undoubtedly a god of war.”
I mean, I just used werewolves to overwhelm a couple of guards. Anyone could do that if they had my men. If anything, my werewolves deserved all the praise for carrying out my reckless orders. I smiled awkwardly at Prince Ashley, and he seemed to take that as a sign of humility.